Quite nostalgic Vanessa, my mum used to make the packet version when we were small and decorate the top with hard boiled egg quarters and parsley, it was certainly not risotto as we know it but my brothers loved it! (in the 70's) I think there was only one flavour back then, chicken if I remember rightly. I have made it on and off over the years and my kids have really enjoyed it too.
The texture I think as per packet directions is more like a paella, drier than I would like risotto to be and as you say too much processed saltyness but pretty good all the same. I have tried adding heaps of fresh ingredients like mushrooms, chicken and other veges to negate that but it still tastes the same LOL.

We also used to have our risotto with quartered egg and parsley, I wonder if it was a serving idea from the packet? But we had savoury curry flavour. I also used to make it with mince added to it and mixed veges (this back in the late 80s, before I learned to cook!). I actually liked it the next day a bit better than freshly done.

I used to let it cool overnight in the fridge and the next day added diced meat (ham, chicken or salami) and salad vegetables - it makes a good orzo/rice salad. I don't recall adding dressing but some lemon juice or balsamic vinegar would be a great addition. Could also add olives, feta, whatever....

I enjoyed the nostalgia however - if only I had some flying saucers . to add to it - that would have made my day! Double cheese sizzlers would do the . trick for next time and I will just sit on the couch, with a good movie, a glass of red wine and devour it myself!

Can't remember the ad but weren't they sort of part beef mince and vegetables with part potato filling in a flat disc covered with thin pastry that you shallow fried? Again popular with the boys in our family at the time.

Vanessa, I have Beth Henspergers book, The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cook Book and she has quite a few recipes for various risottos. Is there any particular risotto you are looking for? As an example, she has recipes for Risotto Milanese, Butternut Squash Rissoto, Dried Mushroom R. Asparagus & Mushroom R. Prawn R. Italian Sausage R. Risi e bisi ( rice & peas).

Her rice section starts off with the following, which risotto lovers might find useful:

"There are three distinct steps to making risotto: cooking the onion and rice, adding the stock and other ingredients, and adding the butter and cheese to finish, known as 'creaming.' Note that Arborio rice is never washed; you want all the starch to make the creamy dish just right."

She then goes on to give very full instructions for a basic risotto recipe, taking up nearly a whole page, and this is followed by the recipes I have named above, and finishing with a recipe for Boiled Italian Rice, which apparently the French love. For this section alone, her book is worth having. It's 350 pages of golden information and recipes for anyone who owns, or is thinking of owning, a rice cooker.

Thanks Lorna
I love the three steps - my mouth is watering and feel often that all you need, simple and great ingredients. I actually like the process and do enjoy cooking a lot but find after a day at work and walking in the door with hungry kids, I need easy BUT still want great flavours with good honest ingredients.
I am keen to hunt out the book though - Ha Ha Ive just done a post about decluttering the cook books - maybe I need to re assess that and visit the twicecooked website ;-)
Vanessa

Vanessa, it's available at The Book Depository for $NZ22.86 with free delivery to NZ. There are several editions of the book there, but this one is the cheapest and also the exact same edition that I have, so I can vouch for it being excellent. See here:
[www.bookdepository.com]